Nothing and Nowhere
by EggDropSoup
Summary: Years after Gary left to train, he's called back by his grandfather to help in an experiement. Imagine his surprise when he comes back home to find that Ash has been called back too. Just what experiment is the Professor trying to accomplish?
1. New Beginnings

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Pokémon or any of its characters.

**Warnings:** Spoilers for the games, manga, anime, and movies. (Gotta eat it, live it, love it!)

**Beta:** Eria (who is made of awesome sauce)

**Pairing:** Ash/Gary. Yay Palletshipping! No flames, please. I give a good warning as to what this chapter is about. If you don't like it, then don't read it. Thanks!

**Setting:** Starts several years after Misty, Mai, and Dawn left. (Why is it that the female leads always leave or something?) I guess this could be seen as an AU, since the series is still going but some references will be made to Ash's and Gary's relationships to girls as the story progresses. So keep in mind that I'll be referencing a bunch of characters. Gary will also be a bit more mature in this story, seeing as this is set years after both Ash and Gary started their journey, it makes sense for him to tease Ash occasionally, but to also be a bit more grown up. He's at the stage in his life where he wants to be taken seriously.

**Rating:** While the beginning will be PG-13/T, my intention is to let the rating rise up to R/M.

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_**Nothing and Nowhere**_

by EggDropSoup

**Chapter One - New Beginnings**

"I need you to come back to Pallet Town as soon as possible," his grandfather had told him gravely through the video phone, dressed in his usual suit and lab coat.

Gary had been so busy training his Pokémon for the next tournament that he hadn't been checking in with his family as often. He supposed he had been so preoccupied with everything that it had slipped his mind. Traveling continents, battling gym leaders, and sending new Pokémon types back home through the simulator had made his life rather hectic.

Over the years, Gary had become a lot like a lone ranger. He was completely self-reliant from his grandfather- and his trust fund his parents had set aside for him- as his winnings from battles and tournaments allowed him to support himself. He had learned quickly to save as much as he could, and often made due without any luxury items.

He had discovered and accomplished so much that at times he almost forgot about his family and home town completely. His parents had died when he and his sister Daisy were young, leaving them both to be raised by their grandfather, Professor Oak. His sister Daisy was probably a bit upset with him about not checking in. She was running her own grooming services in Pallet Town and always was sad when he didn't call or write. If it weren't for the video phones available at the Pokémon Center, then he probably wouldn't remember to call at all.

He hadn't even spoken to Leaf as often as he should and that had led to their inevitable breakup several weeks ago.

He guessed it was his nature as a researcher to want to experience everything he could. He imagined it'd cause some shock with his family back home. He'd even stopped riding around in his convertible, figuring he'd cover more ground by just using his Pokémon. He had outgrown his spoiled ways in the last few years, maturing in the way he conducted himself with others, which-he hoped-that his grandfather would notice.

Because he'd been training hard, he'd eventually run out of supplies or needed to rest his Pokémon at the Pokémon Center. It was while checking his messages at the simulator that he'd come across one from his grandfather asking for him to call back immediately.

"Come home? Why Gramps?" Gary asked, eyeing his grandfather curiously, clad in a dark black jacket and jeans. "I still have tons of traveling to do and I need two more badges in order to compete in the-"

"Yes, yes. I know all about the tournament. But that can wait. Your sister misses you and, as much as I wouldn't like to deter you from your adventures, I'm faced with something I can't finish by myself."

That last comment jarred Gary's attention. It wasn't like his grandfather to admit to needing help. Usually Professor Oak would spend days on end, locked up in his lab, stating that "any failure was just a bump in the road to progress" and wouldn't quit until his experiment was successful. But the sullen expression his grandfather gave him now was one of giving up.

How could he say no to the man who always encouraged him and backed him up no matter what?

"I suppose I can always compete next year."

Professor Oak lifted his face, blinking at him in surprise. Probably shocked at how quickly his grandson gave in so easily. "Do you need me to send you a Pokémon for transportation or to arrange for a train ticket?"

Gary let himself smile at that. "Nah, I think I got just the thing. I'll have to cross over water to reach the continent and then I'll just fly the rest of the way."

"How long do you think it'll take?"

Gary frowned at the question and mentally retraced all the distance he had covered. Not wanting to tire his Pokémon needlessly, he mostly travelled by foot nowadays, but, if he were to constantly switch out his Pokémon for his journey back, it would save him a lot of time.

_Now let's see…subtract the circumference of a pidgeotto's wing span divide ninety miles per hour…_"Four days."

It was his grandfather's turn to frown. "Isn't that cutting it a little too close?"

"It's no big deal. I can handle it. If I leave as soon as my Pokémon have rested up, then I might even be able to narrow it down to three days."

"I know I said I wanted you back as soon as possible but that doesn't mean you had to do something so drastic."

"Come on, Gramps. It'll be no sweat at all." Not one to back down from a challenge, he felt confident he could manage the journey home. It was fun to test the limits of his Pokémon's abilities.

His grandfather sighed and gave him a little half-smile that was a mixture of affection and amusement. "Alright, take care of yourself."

Gary smirked, as if Gramps needed to tell him something like that. But the old man was always trying to look out for him, even when his own situation was troubled. "I always do. See you soon."

And with a wave, the Professor's image on the screen winked out, leaving a blank monitor in its wake. Gary hung up the video phone's receiver and checked his watch for the time.

Nurse Joy had told him it would only take a few hours to have his Pokémon reenergized. His conversation with his grandfather had gone on for several hours so he made his way to the front counter to check and see if they were ready.

As he proceeded forward, he couldn't help but notice how busy it seemed at the little town center. Many trainers had brought in their Pokémon for examination or for treatment because of the cold temperatures. He supposed it was normal for this time of year. If people can get sick, then naturally Pokémon would too. Especially the Pokémon who weren't used to different climates. He'd just have to be prepared in his journey back home and stock up on as much supplies from the store as he could carry.

Nurse Joy was there to greet him at the counter, a small smile on her face and her strawberry pig tails bouncing on her shoulders as she waved him over. "They've just finished resting up." She turned to the Chansey beside her, holding a small tray that displayed seven Pokéballs. She carefully took them from the tray, thanking the pink Pokémon, before handing them over to him. "Is there anything else you needed?" She asked sweetly, her smile widening and reaching all the way to her blue eyes.

"No, thanks. I just need to get some items and then I'll be on my way back home."

"Well, be careful Mr. Oak." She told him seriously, the medical professional in her wanting to make its point. He was always surprised at how the Nurse Joys could be so sweet at one minute, but then get solemn when the care of Pokémon was concerned. "Traveling during the wintertime is very dangerous. I'm sure your grandfather wouldn't want you doing anything reckless."

Again, with his grandfather. No matter where he went, someone always knew about his famous guardian. Though Gary loved his grandfather very much, he couldn't help being jealous. Having been traveling around for years and winning battles, he wanted the world to recognize him for his own identity, not because of his grandfather's shadow that hovered behind him. Even his sister's accomplishments as a renowned Pokétherapist made her more famous than he was.

His goal was to become a Pokémon Master and then return to Pallet Town to take over his grandfather's lab as a researcher. But how could he reach the level of _the_ Professor Oak when he wasn't even seen as anything special.

The world outside of Pallet Town had definitely taught him humility at its finest, reminding him that even though he accomplished so much he still had a long way to go. His Pokédex still wasn't yet full enough.

The snarky side of him would have made a rude remark about the kind nurse's concern, but he just bit his tongue and smiled at her pleasantly. "Thanks. I'll keep that in mind."

He stored his Pokéballs in his Pokébelt and bowed his head in thanks before leaving the Pokémon Center. He braced himself for the cool air outside, the automatic doors opening quickly. He tightened his black jacket around himself, crossing his arms to keep the warmth near his body as he made his way to the town store.

He felt the Pokéballs in his belt jiggle for a second and smiled as he arranged for his coat to lay over them, shielding them from the wind. Nurse Joy's warning buzzed in his ears as he entered the store and alerted the clerk to the items he needed. He'd be going north if he wanted to make it home fast enough and he needed to make sure he was prepared. He wasn't a novice trainer; he knew of the dangers that the wilderness and ice covered seas had in store for him.

The rational side of him made it clear that he should be worried, but his pride wouldn't deflate enough to take any dangers seriously. He welcomed this new mindset, preferring it to the somber one he'd been experiencing.

Lately, having been wandering around from town to town for months, he had found himself feeling less motivated. It couldn't have been loneliness because he had engaged in many battles and met countless people along the way, though there was something lacking in his grand expedition that left him puzzled. It was almost like the main source of his inspiration had died out.

He shrugged the odd feeling off as he took his took his items and paid the store clerk, stuffing them into the small backpack on his shoulders.

Outside the store, he put a hand to his belt, fingers latching on to a Pokéball as he began his summons. The ball glowed brightly in his hands as he smiled. The wind was picking up, swirling his hair and clothes around his thin frame as a blast of light seemed to surround him from each angle.

If everything went according to plan, then he'd be home sooner than his grandfather thought.

* * *

The journey had been long and tiresome, his body feeling the strain to having gone so long without any sleep. He felt a bit self-conscious about it as he arrived in town, hoping he didn't look as exhausted as he felt. He was a bit disappointed that there weren't any people to greet him and that when he passed by the locals he only got a mediocre greeting in comparison to the big celebration he usually got. Even the girls who cheered for him weren't anywhere in sight.

Then he remembered that he forgot to update his website about this change of events. They probably thought he was still far away. Maybe when got to the research lab, he could update it a bit. They'd be sure to run over as soon as they saw the news!

Satisfied with that, he continued walking down the drive to his home, Umbreon close beside him, its dark body a drastic contrast to the light colors of the countryside. When they had been traveling in cool weather, Umbreon had taken to resting in its Pokéball. But now that they were almost home-the cold weather that had descended on Pallet Town had already made the trees naked and bare- it still wasn't as cold as the other places they travelled.

Umbreon was the only Pokémon he had ever bonded with. The others had always just been to serve his purpose in becoming a Pokémon Master. But now, he was starting to understand why Ash had been so determined about bonding with his own Pokémon and why his grandfather studied about the relationships between Pokémon and their trainers.

When he walked, his hand would sway because of momentum and occasionally brush against Umbreon's fur. He wasn't sure how the citizens of his small home town would react to seeing such a strange Pokémon. Pallet Town wasn't very advanced as the other places in the world he had visited and he had a feeling Umbreon may become some kind of tourist attraction if people weren't used to seeing it.

Not only did Umbreon's dark coloring and markings stand out, but rings on its body blinked off and on at night almost like a warning traffic sign. It was bound to attract attention somehow.

Regardless, he wouldn't let himself overreact if the others got too pushy. Umbreon was his friend and it would always be like that between them.

As if in agreement, Umbreon swiveled its head to nuzzle at his hand. Gary gave it a soft smile as he made to scratch its ear. Umbreon's crimson cat-like eyes closed at the contact, content and happy as it gave a little purr that rumbled deep in its throat.

He enjoyed the peace and quiet of their walk and was almost sad to end it when he reached the doors of his grandfather's lab. But he promised the Professor he would arrive as soon as possible-no point in dilly-dallying.

He was a man of his word after all.

He reached up and placed his hand on a panel just next to the door frame. The finger scanner made it easy for all the occupants of the lab and Professor Oak's aides to come in and out without any hassle, while it kept intruders who might be after the Professor's research out.

He supposed that he might have to be just as careful as his grandfather one day, too.

"Welcome home, Gary Oak." The monitor exclaimed through the speaker when it finished the scan, the front door sliding open.

He stepped inside, Umbreon at his side as they entered the entry room of the house. It was surprisingly quiet as he passed a stair case and continued stepping down the hallway moving from the living quarters to the research part of the lab.

Normally he would have been upset or annoyed that no one had greeted him properly upon entering, but after living with his grandfather and sister for years, he'd gotten used to his two relatives being too busy. But it was strange. Usually by now there'd be an explosion or Tracy would run by, some part of him frozen or on fire…it was definitely too quiet in his home.

A little suspicious and wanting to move forward with vigilance, Gary made eye contact with Umbreon, the silent signal telling it to be cautious in case someone or something else was here-someone that wasn't welcome at all.

In response, Umbreon seemed to hunch down on all fours in anticipation as they reached the doors to the lab. Gary moved his ear to hover just above the door, listening for any noise. The only thing he could hear was a slight rustling of papers and a chair scraping against the floor.

Adrenaline spiked through him and with a final nod to Umbreon, Gary pushed the green button that made the automatic door slide open. Both of them darting quickly inside the lab.

There was only one occupant in the room besides himself and Umbreon. The figure sat alone at the desk in front of several test tubes, reviewing each one before writing notes. An experiment, he supposed. Gary would have been curious, but the back of the head facing toward him stole his attention. He'd seen the red hat and spiky dark hair too many times to second guess their owner's identity.

"So Ashy-boy's back in Pallet Town too, huh?"

Ash jumped when his old nick-name was called, almost dropping a test tube in his haste. He put it back in the rack with the others and swiveled his chair around, glaring at Gary with a look of irritation.

"What are you doing here?"

Gary smirked in response, guessing that his grandfather hadn't informed Ash or anyone that he was dropping by. "I live here." He said it like it was obvious, and it had Ash frowning a bit as the other boy must have remembered that the research lab was indeed Gary's home. "What about you? I would have thought you'd be competing in the international championships by now. Don't tell you me- you finally realized you'd never be as great as me, and you decided to quit, hmm?"

He couldn't help the cynical voice he directed towards his childhood friend; he was irritated that while he had been trying so hard to keep up their rivalry, Ash had been at the lab doing projects for his grandfather.

His comment seemed to have elicited a defiant response in Ash, as the other young man stood up from his chair. "No, I haven't given up on that! There's no way I would!"

Gary scoffed instinctively at the lame explanation. Why was it that Ash always inspired such cruel intentions from him? He definitely never teased anyone else as much as he teased the other boy. "Really? Then what are you doing here?"

Ash sputtered when put on the spot like that, and Gary saw that even though he was normally dressed in his shirt and jeans, the boy was wearing a lab coat with a name tag.

_Ash Ketchum, Research Assistant._

When Ash couldn't offer any reason for him being there, Gary spoke for him, "So you're helping my grandfather?"

"Eh?" Ash's eyes narrowed in confusion. "How did you-I didn't say anything."

"You didn't have too; your name tag explained it all." he said broadly, taking his jacket off and placing it on the rack by the door. He stepped over to one of the adjacent chairs and sat down. Umbreon scampered over to a nearby cushion bed and curled up, wanting to rest just as much as its trainer.

Ash looked down and flushed. "Your grandfather asked me to come back home to help him with his recent experiment. Professor Oak has done so much for me; there was no way I could refuse."

_So the old man found some other volunteers for his project_, Gary thought to himself, sinking down further in his chair. It would have been nice if his grandfather had warned him, but the older man must have thought Gary would have lost interest and not shown up.

Maybe, but it still didn't explain what the heck was going on here.

"Where's Gramps now?" he finally said at length, the silence in the small lab making him oddly uncomfortable. By the way his friend was shuffling, resting his weight on one leg and then the other; he could guess that Ash felt as awkward as he did.

"He's out back taking care of the Pokémon."

Gary looked at Ash for a brief second, before standing up again. "Alright, I'll be back. I need to have a word with him."

Umbreon lifted its head from the cushion and started to get up to follow him, but Gary waved his hand in dismissal. "It's okay, Umbreon. You can stay here and rest."

Umbreon snuggled down into the cushion, its eyes fluttering closed.

"Keep an eye on Umbreon, won't you?" Gary said, not bothering to wait for Ash to agree as he grabbed his jacket and made his way into the hall. Instead of going back the way he came, he moved farther to the back of the research center, where the Pokémon were being kept.

"Gary!" Ash's voice called out to him, his voice breathy as he must have ran to catch up with him.

"What?" He turned around, half-annoyed and half-curious as to what his childhood friend would chase after him.

"It's just- Please don't be angry with Professor Oak. Seeing you here was a surprise for me too." Ash looked at him earnestly, wringing his hands together nervously. "I know we don't always get along, but the Professor needs us now. Both of us. We have to work together and do our best for him okay?"

Leave it to Ash Ketchum to be preoccupied about other people's feelings. The boy was too selfless for his own good at times. It was both a trait Gary hated and admired. But he never understood why it always bothered him whenever Ash would show compassion to others.

"It's fine. I'm not upset about that." he finally admitted, allowing Ash's worried expression to finally soothe the mild anger he'd felt like a balm. "I'm just going to check in with Gramps and let him know I've arrived."

"Oh." Ash breathed, relieved, and he gave Gary a bright smile. "Alright, see you later then. I'll keep an eye on Umbreon until you get back." He turned around and made his way back to the small lab, leaving Gary alone in the hallway.

Though Gary no longer felt upset about the issue, he still wanted answers. Just what was his grandfather's experiment? Were things so bad back at home that even Gramps had to recruit Ashy-boy for help?

He stalked out the backdoor that led to the fields of pens of Pokémon. He reached in his pocket momentarily, tracing his fingers along the edge of the half-Pokéball he had always carried with him. Drawing strength from it just as he always did.

He could hear voices to his right, over by where the herding Pokémon were being kept. He straightened up, removing his hand from his pockets. He had every intention of getting answers from his grandfather.

Nothing would stop him from getting his explanation.

**To be continued.**

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**A/N**: This is my first fanfic for Pokémon. :) I hope to continue this story as soon as my exams are over. Please wish me luck and please review if you enjoyed this at all. There will be lots of angst and more GaryXAsh to come in future chapters.

**Next time: **Where is Pikachu—isn't he always at Ash's side or something? And what kind of experiment is Professor Oak having trouble with?


	2. Situations and Surprises

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Pokémon or any of its characters.

**Warnings (overall):** Spoilers for the games, manga, anime, and movies. (Got to eat it, live it, and love it!)

**Beta**: Eria (Made of awesome-just so everyone knows.)

**Pairing(s):** Ash/Gary. Yay Palletshipping! No flames, please. I give a good warning as to what this chapter is about. If you don't like it, then don't read it. Thanks!

**Setting:** Starts several years after Misty, Mai, and Dawn left. (Why is it that the female leads always leave or something?) I guess this could be seen as an AU, since the series is still going but some references will be made to Ash's and Gary's relationships to girls as the story progresses. So keep in mind that I'll be referencing a bunch of characters. Gary will also be a bit more mature in this story, seeing as this is set years after both Ash and Gary started their journey, it makes sense for him to tease Ash occasionally, but to also be a bit more grown up. He's at the stage in his life where he wants to be taken seriously.

**Rating:** While the beginning will be PG-13/T, my intention is to let the rating rise up to R/M.

**Thanks to the following Reviewers for Chapter 1: CJWrites, JJK, inuliedelfenx, Beaunaratau, Arlein, kanamyUzumaki, EunHaeLuver, briar-moss-thorn, Dark Angel Kira, I Like ShadAmy, and Gabbi-chan.** You guys are awesome and I made this chapter suuuuuper long to thank you guys. I appreciate you being wonderful and helping to keep me motivated. I hope you enjoy this chapter. It's only sad that I couldn't reply to the anon reviewers. If you'd like, please leave an email address along with your review so I can thank you for your wonderful comments.

Thank you guys for your wonderful comments; I'm so happy that you guys enjoy it so far. :) I was very insecure about posting fan fiction for a fandom I wasn't overly familiar with. I got the games, the movies, the season DVDs of the series…but watching it and writing about it is a whole different matter, entirely. XD I take characterization, cannon, and many other elements seriously in my writing. If there's anything you'd like included in this fic, be it a quote, a certain element from the series, etc-I will try to accommodate that for you.

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_**Nothing and Nowhere**_

By EggDropSoup

**Chapter Two – Situations and Surprises**

Ever since he had arrived, the weather didn't cease to get colder. The skies were beginning to turn a dark gray as thick purple clouds hovered above.

Gary stepped near where he last heard the voices, the pens of herding Pokémon coming into view. He was surprised to see his grandfather and Tracy-both standing on either side of a gate-dressed in working clothes. The faded jeans and bulky jackets a sharp contrast to the suits and crisp white lab coats they normally wore.

Looking closer, he saw that the two men were guiding a herd of Tauros in through the crowd pen.

He recognized the herd instantly, remembering that Ash had caught them long ago during his adventures out on the Safari Zone, and took a moment to marvel at their dark brown manes and powerful build.

The large beasts progressed quickly through the channels of chutes, their silver horned heads occasionally balking against the wooden walls. Forked tails slapped at their tan backs in swishing motions, chasing away any annoying flies that lingered around them. Their large size didn't seem to hinder them as they maneuvered around each other, reminding Gary of a small river pouring through the chutes-twisting and turning, flowing out into the corral.

The dominant bulls would occasionally stomp their hooves at the lesser bulls but there were no fights during the process-just small signs of warning as they continued along together.

Tauros- like other herding Pokémon- maintained a certain social distance and while Tauros weren't normally violent, they still had rules of social hierarchy that they followed.

After making sure that the herd's movement was controlled and that his outburst wouldn't startle them, he called out to the two men. "Tracy, Gramps!"

"Gary!" His grandfather was the first to notice him, greeting him with a smile before moving his arm to beckon him toward them. "Help us out won't you?"

"Sure." He broke into a jog, coming up behind them-taking a position beside Tracy on one side of the gate.

There were three stragglers that followed behind the others- taking up the rear of the herd- and Gary noticed the small Pikachu that darted between them-charging them inside as they shut the gate quickly.

The last few Tauros followed the others obediently through the crowd gate and onward through the curving chutes, joining the rest of the herd in the corral- all the Pokémon rounded up safe and secure.

"I had wondered what happened to Ash's Pikachu. It's strange to see them apart." Gary commented as he helped Tracy hold the gate closed while Professor Oak locked the bolt and chained the two parts together.

"Pikachu was helping with the herding. All the Pokémon are used to being free-range so it was difficult to bring them near the facility." Tracy explained, moving away from the gate.

It made sense, considering Pikachu's talents. Using the small electric mouse's abilities to guide the herd in by creating some kind of electric fence-and sending a small jolt to the ones that didn't cooperate so that they'd fall in line with the others. From what he remembered of the Tauros Pokémon, they were very stubborn and hard to handle.

"Well, now that everything's finished up here, how about we go inside and get some coffee?" Professor Oak smiled at them, putting his arms across the two younger men's shoulders and guided them back toward the Research Center. "It's gotten cold enough to make my arthritis start acting up again."

They stepped out of the cold and into the warm facility, Pikachu scampering inside behind them.

* * *

After taking off their coats and warming up with hot coffee, the three men loitered around the kitchen, leaning against the counters.

Pikachu had long since abandoned them as soon as Professor Oak had given it a few Christmas sweets as a reward for its earlier assistance. He didn't doubt that Pikachu had gone back to the small lab to share them with Ash.

Gary placed his finished mug down in the sink, deciding that he was ready to cut to the chase, and swiveled himself around to face his grandfather and Tracy with determination.

"I believe I deserve an explanation as to why Ash and I have been called back here," he said evenly.

Professor Oak and Tracy both looked at each other briefly, before Professor Oak resigned himself to be the first to break the silence.

"You are aware as I am, Gary, that Pallet Town is isolated from many other places in the region. This is not only because we lack a Gym and Pokémon Center, but because the town's low population has further lead to it being isolated from the center of Kanto. We must develop other forms of resources."

"What other resources are you planning to invest in?"

"The first step is establishing an efficient way to harvest electricity through the city."

"Harvesting electricity? How would that help?" Gary inquired curiously. Sure Pallet Town was isolated, but that had never been a problem before with how the town functioned as a community. Even in his youth, he never saw any instance that the town's geography would cause a problem with its trade and industry position in Kanto.

"Now that world trade has expanded across the continents, Pallet Town must also begin moving forward in order to keep up," Professor Oak admitted sadly to him. It was obvious how hard this must have been for his grandfather to admit, but even if his grandfather didn't wish for things to be as they were, he still was a realist. "We have two routes that lead to the town- one by water to the South and one through Viridian City to the North. When it snows, we're blocked off for weeks without contact to other parts of the Kanto region. If we're able to harness a great energy source, then we'll be able to continue methods of trade and communication."

"Isn't there any other way?" Gary asked again, hoping that there was some kind of detail his grandfather had forgotten. "What about the advantage of being on the coast?"

"We've already used our sea resources as much as we can. Our fishing industry has suffered just as much as the agriculture. We have no mining facilities or tourist attractions; all we have is limited down to a handful of potential choices in order to improve our town's economic circumstances. Many of the townspeople are thinking of selling their businesses out to the government and moving eastward."

Gary looked at him with alarm at hearing such devastating news. "When were you going to tell me that the situation got so bad? This couldn't have just happened, if I knew I would have-"

"You would have come straight back to Pallet Town and put your dreams aside." Professor Oak finished for him, sighing as he crossed his arms and regarded his grandson seriously. "I know you well enough to guess what you would have done. I didn't want this to dampen your hopes or hinder you from accomplishing your goals. I've been trying to use my influence within the scientific community, but it's brought about very little in terms of success."

"That's why we're hoping that this experiment will be an accomplishment," Tracy added from behind Professor Oak, having been silent during most of the exchange. "If we can harness that much electric power and generate it successfully, then it will definitely improve the town's conditions."

"Pallet Town doesn't specialize in electric Pokémon," Gary argued, "How would you be able to get such a huge jolt? What are you going to do-make Ash's Pikachu charge a metal rod constantly?"

"When the air is moist and damp, there are traces of electricity that are conducted," Tracy explained, raising a hand to fix his headband-evidently bored with Gary's attempts at sarcasm. "That's one of the best things about being in a town on the coast. You never run out of it."

"Sort of like static electricity?"

"Yes, but we'll be using that bit of current and drawing it and others that pulse through the air into power grids."

"Hn, guess Daisy won't have a reason to complain about the humidity ruining her hair anymore," Gary uttered dryly.

"The process will cause the air to become drier, but we must make sure that this will not affect the climate too harshly. If there's a reduction in the air's moisture, it could lead to potential fires."

Gary nodded solemnly at the two men before him. With the town being surrounded mostly by forest, things could get messy if the experiment went wrong, and he had too many memories and feelings in this town to want any of that to happen.

"You seem to have your next steps planned out for the most part. But you haven't explained exactly why you called me back, Gramps." He turned to face his grandfather, deciding to get straight to the point on exactly why he was back in Pallet Town.

Professor Oak shook his head. "We need your help in carrying this experiment out, Gary. Between myself and Tracy, there's not enough manpower to put this into production."

"Is that why Ash was called back too?"

Professor Oak didn't falter in his response. "Yes."

"I see."

"If there were any other way to go about it, I wouldn't have brought both of you into this," Professor Oak told him honestly, feeling responsible for having deterred his two charges from their travels. "But the fact of the matter is that Pallet Town's survival is most important right now." Again his grandfather gave him that hopeless look that he had when they talked on the video phone, and Gary had to grit his teeth and bite back any words he wanted to say. The last thing he wanted was to cause anymore additional stress to his grandfather, right now. "I've managed to acquire some other assistance from a few volunteers, but they aren't able to interact with Pokémon as well as both you and Ash do. We'll need to work with them in order to make the grids and put them in place."

"Well, I am quite the genius when it comes to handling Pokémon." Gary remarked, puffing out his chest a bit upon hearing that. His grandfather hadn't exactly complimented him, but there was a sense of pride that he had from knowing that he was necessary for something to be done. He couldn't help but feel a bit self-important.

His grandfather's façade changed at his commentary, returning it with a smirk. "So, does that mean you'll assist us?"

Gary shrugged his shoulder, trying to downplay his reaction a bit. "Might as well. Nothing much exciting was going on before you called me anyway."

That had his grandfather smiling and he could see Tracy was giving him his own appreciative look- pleased-but it wasn't as gratifying as the one that his grandfather was giving him now.

"So when do I start in helping out?"

"Because of the storm heading our way, production will have to cease until conditions improve. We're finished preparing the Pokémon here for it, thanks to your help. Now we have to wait until it hits-probably won't be until later on tonight. There is still time for you to go into town though. I know Daisy's been disappointed that you haven't called her in a while."

Gary groaned, leaning further back as he slouched. "Geeze, why is she so serious about that? I'm not some kid who needs checking up on."

"You may not appreciate her concern now, but not many people can say that they have families to care for them," Professor Oak reasoned, apparently expecting Gary to complain. "So it's important that you treasure those in your life while you can."

Gary frowned, not able to say anything in response. His grandfather was always uttering philosophical stuff like that. But even though his advice was always theoretical, he couldn't help but see the evident truth in them.

He heaved a sigh in surrender and he pushed himself away from the counter. "Fine, I get it. I'll go and stop by her clinic."

"Good." Professor Oak nodded to him, before narrowing his eyes, and added, "I wouldn't go around disclosing this information with just anyone about town."

"You'd think someone might try and sabotage the project?"

"Who knows?" His grandfather looked suddenly tired as he ran a hand through his thinning hair. "There are many people in this world, many who have ill intentions. It's best not to lay all our cards out on the table just yet."

"Alright. Consider it on the down low," Gary confirmed seriously, and, when he said that, his grandfather seemed to take in an audible sigh of relief. While Gary might be hot-headed and overconfident at times, he was honest-especially with his family. He didn't promise things lightly and always carried his word to the best of his ability.

"Well, I'm off, Gramps." He departed with a wave, exiting out of the kitchen. "See you later on tonight."

"Take care." Professor Oak returned the gesture as his grandson left the room.

When he was sure that Gary was out of earshot, he took another sip from his mug before speaking to his assistant. "It's hard to believe he's grown so much. It wasn't long ago that he had just started training and travelling around. Where does the time go?"

Tracy laughed at that, finishing off his own drink. "Reminiscing about old times, eh Professor?" The way he put it was meant to tease-a habit that he'd formed while working so closely with his mentor.

"Once you get my age, old times are all you've got," Professor Oak remarked wistfully. "But it is nice to have the family back in one place again."

Tracy nodded in agreement, and they stood together in the small kitchen, allowing the comfortable silence to hang between them as they watched the scenery of the grounds from a nearby window. The sun setting as the day came to an end.

* * *

The small town of Pallet was quiet; the hustle and bustle from his youth no longer existent. It seemed strange to him as he walked down the familiar streets with Ash in tow, scarce memories coming and going as he reflected on his childhood.

Christmas lights and decorations were hung along the town square-displayed in the windows of local businesses. It seemed that even though the town was in a horrible financial situation, they were still able to find reasons for celebration.

"This brings back memories," Gary said as they passed the small town cinema where they had gone together immensely in their young life. In those days they had been best friends, full of energy as together, they obsessed over movies-before Pokémon training and dreams of being Pokémon Masters had drastically changed the relationship between them.

"Yeah," Ash confirmed giving a serene smile, wrapping his scarf around his neck and Pikachu a bit more snuggly. "We had a lot of fun back then."

It wasn't Gary's plan to have Ash join him in going to see Daisy, but as soon as he had put his bag in his room and changed into some clean clothes he had come down stairs to find Ash, Pikachu, and Umbreon waiting for him expectantly.

At first, he had flatly refused the additional company, but Ash had stubbornly followed him all the same-claiming he had wanted to visit Daisy as well. Gary figured it was probably to get a free massage for Pikachu, since-to Ash- Daisy was an old childhood friend.

Not liking how the mood had suddenly changed and feeling slightly uncomfortable, Gary decided to change the subject.

"Well, no use in thinking about the past. Hurry up, Ash, or I'll leave you behind." Gary reprimanded him, a bit more harshly then he intended as he shoved his hands in his pockets and continued walking on.

"Hey wait, up!" Ash nearly stumbled in his steps at the abrupt change of pace, pushing his cap down on his head so the wind didn't cause it to fly away.

Gary watched him out of the corner of his eye, slowing down his speed just a fraction to let the other young man catch up. To anyone else it would have seemed that Gary had ignored Ash and just continued trudging along, but Umbreon could easily tell its trainer's intentions as it slowed down in turn.

As they continued past the shops, Ash finally managed to keep up the pace, and Umbreon calmly marveled to itself why its trainer had to bother with such pretenses.

* * *

Daisy's business had done well in Pallet Town over the years. She had worked hard as a Pokémon Coordinator, becoming The Spring Pokémon Contest's Grand Champion in her youth, and had helped out as her grandfather's assistant during the time he was busy researching in Johto. After accomplishing so much, she had returned to her dream profession as a Pokémon Groomer.

She owned her own clinic, and had bookings and appointments scheduled every day. Even trainers from other continents travelled to reserve a session with her. Though her business was in high demand it never got overly tiresome. With the help of Clefairy and the Chansey her Grandfather had given her, she was able to keep track of how her business was developing. Sometimes an issue would occur during her one hour free-massage sessions. Many trainers would run in-all at once- to take advantage of her store's special that a fight would occasionally break out.

While her days had its share of ups and downs, she still loved her job immensely. Working to make Pokémon happy was her dream job and, as long as she could continue doing that, she'd be happy.

She did have to worry about her family though; her Grandfather was always so busy with his research and Gary's lack of writing had been worrying her a lot lately. Having remembered losing her and her brother's parents in a car accident when they were young, she'd always been particular about her only remaining relatives and constantly got onto them for not checking in. Professor Oak had been better about it at least, making Tracy call routinely at the end of their day with some kind of progress report for her.

If her business didn't keep her at the store so much, she'd be able to go home to the Research Lab and confirm it for herself. But it seemed that the Oaks were doomed to be busy people as always.

Her recent engagement had also led her to be more burdened with work then she normally was. So times like these, where she could relax, were a rarity in itself.

Daisy sighed to herself as she sat at her table by the window in the storefront, staring at the late evening sky as she sipped at her tea. She was wearing her favorite green dress-the one that matched her eyes- and Clefairy and Chansey were relaxing at the table beside her, snacking on cookies and tea.

She smiled at that, enjoying the peace and quiet at the end of the work day. No better way to spend it than with a nice warm mug of tea-

The front door of the store burst open, allowing the cool air from outside to come in and whisk away the smell of vanilla-still lingering throughout the store thanks to one of Daisy's scented candles. The bell chime on the door rang enthusiastically as it swayed, indicating a visitor.

Daisy sat up quickly and moved to the entry way of the store, not happy to deny a potential customer their business, but the store was closed and… "I'm sorry, but we're closed for today and-Gary!" Her face brightened up instantly when she saw him at the door, rubbing his gloved hands together next to Ash-her green eyes glimmered with happiness as she hugged him fiercely.

"Such a bad little brother you are!" She scolded half-heartedly, withdrawing from the embrace long enough to poke him in the chest-Ignoring the fact that even though Gary was younger, he had grown up to be taller, towering over her small petite frame. "You haven't called or written in months. Do you know how worried I've been?"

Gary smiled at her pouting face and raised a hand to pat her on the head to pacify her. "Yes, I'm sorry." He at least had the decency to look guilty for having caused her to be upset. "I didn't mean to lose touch, but I'm back home now."

Daisy pressed her lips together in an attempt to appear angry, but her excitement made it appear more strained than anything. "Gramps called you back to help with his little project right? So much for a family reunion." Her voice tapered off with disappointment.

"Well, that's the original reason for coming back so soon," Gary admitted, "But while I'm in town I can spend as much time with you as you'd like."

That did it. That got Daisy to smile again. "Really? That'd make me really happy, Gary." She hugged him again, enjoying the fact that she could sleep well knowing that her younger brother was safe back home.

She drew away from him when she noticed a strange Pokémon standing slightly behind him, looking at her curiously over Gary's legs. "So this is Umbreon?" She leaned over and smiled at the dark Pokémon, reaching down to brush its fur with her hand, nuzzling its head in a way that made Umbreon sigh happily. "Such a wonderful Pokémon. I can tell you get along very well."

"Yeah."

"That's a first for you, Gary. Since when did you become so attached?"

"Attached?" He stared at her quizzically.

"Well you never bonded so well with a Pokémon before. It's refreshing to see."

"Humph."

"Oh, come on, don't be like that." She smiled at him, moving to close to nudge his sides until he couldn't help but let a smile slip. Daisy's smiles were always contagious. "That's better!" Daisy chirped in triumph, "Should I assume that your visit wasn't just to stopover but to schedule an appointment?"

"If it's not too much trouble."

"Well," She moved a finger to tap at her chin, thoughtfully. "I usually have tea at this time, but since I'm being asked by my two favorite boys, of course I will. Umbreon and Pikachu are the ones you want treatment for right?"

After both Gary and Ash nodded, Daisy grinned. "Great! Please wait here while I take these guys back. It'll only take a moment," she said as she guided Umbreon and Pikachu to the rear of the store. "Chansey and Clefairy will help you if you need anything."

Both Pokémon bounced excitedly before them, making both Gary and Ash seem unnerved in their enthusiasm. The two pink creatures motioned them over to the table, pulling away their coats and gloves while they brought out refreshments-plates of cake and glasses for tea-priding themselves in being the best hosts for their very important guests.

* * *

Forty-five minutes later, Daisy stepped out of the treatment room with a happy Pikachu and a very relaxed Umbreon. Both Pokémon looked completely at peace as they walked back to their trainers with sleepy eyes and heavy steps-as if they just woke up from a long pleasant dream.

While they had been waiting, Ash and Gary had snacked on the deserts that Chansey and Clefairy had presented them with. Their plates laid empty on the table, aside from the crumbs-which they hastily ignored- in favor of standing up to greet their rejuvenated Pokémon.

"All done." Daisy cheered as she wiped her hands on a towel and handed it to Chansey to put away. Chansey waddled to the back of the store, followed by a bouncing Clefairy.

"Thanks Daisy." Ash knelt down, letting Pikachu jump onto his shoulder.

"Yeah, thanks sis." Gary addressed her with his own appreciation as Umbreon moved to stand near him, looking blissful at being able to get such a nice massage. "Do you want us to wait for you? You should be closing up shop now, right?"

Though Pallet Town was a small town out in the country and cut off from the big city by the forest and mountainous terrain that surrounded it, there were still wild Pokémon that wandered into town at night from time to time. Chances were high of robberies and wandering poachers too. It didn't help that the research lab was on the outskirts of town. And the night was growing dark. Anything could happen in these circumstances.

"That's alright, Gary," Daisy said to him earnestly as she glanced at the clock. "I'll be staying at the store tonight. We have a shipment of supplies coming in early tomorrow morning and with the storm hitting tonight- I'll need to stay here in order to oversee that."

This seemed to perk Gary's interest. "Did you need some help? If it's early in the morning I can come and assist with the unloading."

"Don't be silly, I can just use-"

"Who? Your Chansey? Clefairy?"

Daisy frowned. "We've managed just fine before, thank you very much."

"But those Pokémon aren't suited for hard manual labor." Gary tried to reason with her, scowling. His sister was always taking on too much. "You probably even do most of it yourself."

At a loss for words, Daisy tried again, "But there's supposed to be a snow storm tonight. There's no way you could get through all that snow and show up here on time."

"I could just use a fire type Pokémon."

Before Daisy could reply or continue to argue, Ash piped in, "I'll help too."

"What?" The Oak siblings both turned on him at the same time, intense expressions on both their faces.

"Well," Ash said smiling sheepishly, a bit embarrassed at having both of them eye him warily, "With all three of us and our Pokémon, we should be able to get through the snow and help with the unloading. We'll be finished in no time."

"Ash…" Daisy seemed to be awestruck by his sincere attempt to help but his sister's and Ash's own actions just caused Gary to become irritated.

"I don't remember anyone asking you for help."

His sudden antagonistic tone seemed to catch the other young man off guard. "Huh? But I just-I only wanted-"

"Wanted what? To help? I doubt you'll make things even easier- you'll just slow everyone down.

He tried to ignore the hurt expression that Ash gave him, those dark eyes staring at him owlishly-mouth gaping open in shock.

"Gary! You don't have to be so rude." Daisy quickly reprimanded him, crossing her arms and coming to Ash's defense.

"So you don't want my help, but this guy is okay?" Gary grumbled out, as he straightened his stance, rising to his full height in order to be intimidating, and pointing a finger accusingly in Ash's direction.

"Gary, what are you talking about?" Ash tried to rationalize with him, but gawked at the condemning appendage that was aimed at his face.

Seething, Gary rolled his eyes in distaste and turned around so his back was to them. "Whatever… Come on, Umbreon." He said as he made his way to the door, grabbing his jacket and gloves on his way out. Umbreon gave one last look to the two humans before skipping quickly to keep up with him.

"Gary!" Daisy's cry was swallowed up by the strong burst of wind that came into the store as Gary opened the door and it died down just as quickly as it came when Gary slammed it closed. The windows of the storefront rattled from the force of it.

They watched Gary and Umbreon stride past the display windows and disappear into the night.

"What did I do to get him so mad?" Ash asked beside her, completely overwhelmed at Gary's sudden outburst. Pikachu lightly patted his head in sympathy.

"Nothing, Ash," Daisy answered him, turning to face him sadly, cupping her cheek in her hand. "That boy…he's always picked fights instead of expressing his feelings. I'm sorry, Ash. Especially after you were kind enough to offer." She lowered her eyes, shook her head.

"It's alright; it's not your fault. It seems that all I ever do is make him angry at me. I had thought that with us both working together; we could find a way to be friends again. Like in the old days."

Daisy raised her gaze up and stared at him for a moment, her eyes shining, and Ash was momentarily startled by the strength of it-It was almost like he could see the gears shifting in her head. "W-What?" He asked nervously, not sure in what her staring could imply.

Daisy was smart, but she was just as guarded in her thoughts as her younger brother. It seemed like the Oak siblings both held a similar air of mystery when it came to what they were saying and doing. "Oh, nothing~ But I wouldn't worry about that, Ash. Gary's always been stubborn. He likes to do things on his own and he's too proud to admit that he'll need help. But regardless of that, I can tell he's missed you. I think you were the only one he ever got close to."

Ash bit his lip in discomfort to Daisy's words. "I don't really think we're that close. All he seems to do is yell at me."

"Well, just remember that Gary doesn't trouble himself with just anyone. If he was really upset with you, he wouldn't have come along with you. And he definitely wouldn't have tried so hard to pick a fight with you."

Ash blinked at that for a second, letting the weight of Daisy's words sink in.

"I guess I'll have to order new supplies when the truck comes tomorrow." Daisy changed the topic, thinking her thoughts out loud.

"New supplies? But you'll be getting some tomorrow."

"Yes," Daisy agreed, "But now that Gary's back in town there's bound to be more tourists flocking in." She told him excitedly. "As soon as he updates that website of his, I bet you there will be people from everywhere."

Ash coughed nervously. "Really? That many?"

He remembered a few of the girls from their school that used to follow Gary around, flaunting themselves and cheering him on during battles. Then there were the occasional admirers that travelled along with Gary, but he didn't think that Gary's followers were that numerous.

Daisy smiled to him again before winking. "Never underestimate the dedication of his fan club. Things may get hectic for a while, but I think it'll be okay."

The last thing she said seemed to be some sort of confirmation she made to herself, and before Ash could question her about it, she spoke again. "It's late Ash. Why don't you go and make sure Gary hasn't lost his way back to the lab? He hasn't been home in a long time and with how dark it is, he'll probably be stumbling around out there-too proud to ask for help."

For a moment Ash seemed unsure, looking at her pensively before nodding. "Alright. Thanks Daisy. I'll see you tomorrow." With that he grabbed his coat-as well as his scarf- and ran out of the door, Pikachu holding onto his shoulder tightly to keep balanced against the strong wind that blew outside.

Daisy smiled to herself as she watched him go and finished picking up the used dishes and rearranging her table so that it was clean again. She balanced everything in one hand as she used the other to lock the bolt of the front door securely. Then she reached over to the security system pad, pushing the 'stay' button until it let out a small beep, the console growing red to indicate that the alarm was on.

"Such silly boys," she said to herself as she gave one last look out the store window. "Please continue to be a good rival to my brother, Ash."

After locking up her store securely, Daisy turned away from the window and walked back to the small kitchenette that was hidden from her patrons' view. Chansey and Clefairy were already beginning to help clean up the store, pulling out towels and disinfectant to assist with the sprucing.

_Yes,_ Daisy decided, as she placed the dishes in the sink, turning the tap on high. She took up a small dish sponge, lathered it up, and began washing a plate thoroughly, her eyes catching sight of the engagement ring on her finger before she smiled nostalgically to herself.

_Everything would be okay._

**To be continued**_**.**_

* * *

** AN:** I always thought it was sad that Daisy was never in the anime. xD She would have been great I think. But you guys rock if you noticed some of the cannon details from the game/manga that I included. And likewise, if you want a specific detail included from the game, manga, or anime please feel free to request it by review or by pm and I'll try to put it somewhere…. Be it a quote or thoughts on a character- whatever it is- I'll do my best. :) Thanks again to those who reviewed last time and please review for this one if you can!

I'm also very sorry that my updates are very sporadic. I've been sick this last month, so I hope you all enjoyed this update all the same!


	3. Lost and Found

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Pokémon or any of its characters.

**Warnings (overall):** Spoilers for the games, manga, anime, and movies. (Got to eat it, live it, and love it!)

**Beta**: Eria (Made of awesome-just so everyone knows.)

**Pairing(s):** Ash/Gary. Yay Palletshipping! No flames, please. I give a good warning as to what this chapter is about. If you don't like it, then don't read it. Thanks!

**Setting:** Starts several years after Misty, Mai, and Dawn left. (Why is it that the female leads always leave or something?) I guess this could be seen as an AU, since the series is still going but some references will be made to Ash's and Gary's relationships to girls as the story progresses. So keep in mind that I'll be referencing a bunch of characters. Gary will also be a bit more mature in this story, seeing as this is set years after both Ash and Gary started their journey, it makes sense for him to tease Ash occasionally, but to also be a bit more grown up. He's at the stage in his life where he wants to be taken seriously.

**Rating:** While the beginning will be PG-13/T, my intention is to let the rating rise up to R/M.

**Thanks to the following Reviewers for Chapter 2: ****kuroshiro****28****, ****Shibara****, shadowdolls,** **Pink****Marshmello****, . ****ChioneTheDragonDuelist****, Addie, and ****Tarklovishki****. **

* * *

**_Nothing and Nowhere_**

By EggDropSoup

**Chapter Three – Lost and Found**

Ash was running, plowing through the snow with his legs as Pikachu gripped onto his shoulder, tightly. It was getting colder and the rate of the snow falling had quickened since he'd left Daisy's store. Even though the night around him was dark, he could still see his breath fanning out in front of him. The heat that escaped his mouth contrasted sharply with the icy air it came in contact with. His lungs felt numb as he breathed, the cold air he sucked in making his throat ache.

He was freezing, absolutely freezing. If he wasn't sure that he could wiggle his toes, he would have thought they'd broken off. His teeth were chattering and his lips were dry. He had tried to warm his face by rubbing his gloved hands against it, but it only further irritated the weather-worn skin. Regardless of his discomfort, Ash kept an eye on Gary and Umbreon's tracks, and though he didn't know how far they had gotten he knew there were very few places in Pallet Town that Gary could actually go.

The snow of the winter season caused most of the restaurants and stores to close early, making the Research Facility the most likely choice. But he still wanted to follow their markings, just to be sure. In case Gary and Umbreon had gotten lost or, worse, decided to leave. There was no telling what Gary would do when upset and though it left a chilling feeling in Ash's stomach, he had to tell himself he wouldn't be surprised if Gary found a way to fly out of the snowstorm and abscond Pallet Town again.

He forced the effects of the wind and the snow out of his mind, straightened his resolve and continued forward, focusing his gaze down on the tracks in front of him.

He was afraid that if he stopped looking at them, they might disappear-stay forever hidden by the falling snow and leave him without a clue or a trace. So focused was he that when Pikachu gave a sharp chirp in his ear, it startled him. He almost tripped into the snow, his arms swinging around frantically as he righted himself. When he looked to Pikachu on his shoulder, wanting to know what was wrong, the yellow Pokémon bounced a bit- jerking its head ahead of them- and gave another chirp, this time much louder and more insistent.

Ash gazed at his Pikachu curiously before turning forward and when he did his eyes widened, focusing on the small hunched shapes slightly ahead of them and the golden rings shinning in the dark.

He felt a glimmer of hope warm him from the inside out in relief.

_Gary._

* * *

It was funny how quickly Gary's moods could change. One minute he would be angry, trudging through the snow on his way back home, and the next he would be miserable and ashamed. He was a person who experienced emotions very strongly in the moment, but he was also someone who was very cognitive. No matter how much he lost himself in the moment it wouldn't take long for his brain to catch up with him- leaving him ashamed and very aware of what had just happened.

Looking back on his earlier behavior, Gary felt stupid. Where was the mature young man he'd thought he'd become during his time away from home? It was as if all those years of training and hard work had been wasted-forgotten instantly-and he had become that insecure little boy he was before.

Gary sighed as he pressed forward, looking around the trees and piles of snow cautiously. Umbreon's rings were the only source of light for miles around. He had forgotten how to get back to his family's home in the dark. Because Pallet Town was a small town, there weren't many streetlights, and those that were around were mainly kept near the central plaza where most of the stores and shops were.

Occasionally, there was a streetlight by the lone houses on the outskirts, but since the Research Facility was farther out and on a larger expanse of property, Gary would be stumbling in the dark for quite a while.

When he was younger he had known the back roads like the back of his very hand. He could vaguely remember the late summer nights that he and Ash would run around, chasing swarms of Butterfree and coming back home after their many fishing adventures.

But now as he looked around-squinting to see- and using Umbreon's bodily glow to get his bearings-he knew he was lost. He couldn't see more than a few inches away from his nose. The dark night stretched around them so thickly that he could only see sparse outlines of trees and bushes that weren't covered in snow.

Everything looked so different at night and he cursed himself for not thinking about it before he stormed off. He didn't have his Pokedex and Umbreon was the only Pokémon he had brought with him to visit Daisy. At least Umbreon could glow in the dark, but that security meant nothing if the glow from Umbreon's rings attracted wild Pokémon.

A spike of fear came to mind at that. How were they supposed to defend themselves when Umbreon was obviously at a disadvantage. He couldn't see and while he could possibly hear if someone or something were approaching, he didn't like how powerless they were. He looked around the dark anxiously, hoping that maybe if he looked enough that something would "click" or that he could at least remember something so they could go back the way they had come.

The snow was now falling harder and soon their tracks would be covered. He could feel the cold seeping into his clothes, piercing the skin of his arms and legs like needles. His winter jacket wouldn't help shield him for much longer. His shoes were already soaked through, the same for his gloves and his nose was burning every time the cold wind hit his face. From what he could tell, Umbreon seemed to be okay-its fur protecting it from the cold but he couldn't count on that to last long. Eventually, Umbreon's fur would not help in protecting it-the cold weather would soon be too much.

As if sensing Gary's worry, Umbreon came to his side and rubbed its face against his thigh. He looked down at the glowing red eyes that were staring up at him. "I'm sorry, Umbreon. I got us lost." When he said it, it seemed all the more real, like the verbal admittance of it had cemented it with finality.

He hunched down into the snow, ignoring how the wet mush of it easily seeped into his flimsy fabric of his jeans, and bent his legs to squat and reached for Umbreon, embracing it softly. The dark Pokémon nuzzled him back, rubbing its nose against Gary's chest.

"Gary!"

Both Umbreon and Gary turned toward the voice, Umbreon's ears twitching as the sounds of footsteps approached. Gary released Umbreon and raised himself back to a standing position, looking toward the direction of Ash's call.

They heard Ash before they saw him. His loud pants and steps were a big contrast to the quiet sounds of the night. "Here you are!" he gasped, bending over slightly to catch his breath. Pikachu jumped down from his shoulder as he continued to wheeze-his exhalations making white puffs in the air. "We've been looking for you guys."

Gary was surprised to see him-or parts of him. Even with Umbreon's glowing rings, the extent of light was limited. "How did you find us?"

"Just followed the trail," Ash replied as he pointed to the fading footprints in the snow. "At first I thought you were going back home, but then I followed your tracks and when I saw where you guys ended up I thought…"

"What? You thought I would have left?"

Ash looked down at his feet, sheepishly, and kicked at the snow with his boots. "No, I didn't-"

"Yes, you did," Gary interjected in a quiet voice, as he pushed his gloved hands in his pocket. "And I don't blame you. It's something I would have done-have done before."

Ash's eyes came back up, connected to Gary's. "So why didn't you this time?"

"Well…to be honest, I don't know the way back to the house and Umbreon was the only Pokémon I brought with me. If I had another way to leave I probably would have." Gary confessed, angling his head to the dark Pokémon at his side. He would usually never admit his failures to anyone, let alone his rival. But he was cold and tired and the only form of salvation and warmth came from Ash helping him.

He was surprised to hear the light laughter that came from Ash. He expected Ash to be angry or mad, not to find this whole experience funny, especially after he had just caused a scene in his sister's store.

"What's so funny?" he asked, feeling partially annoyed.

"Heh. It's like Daisy said. She knew you'd be lost." Ash cracked a smile, stifling his giggles, and he stepped closer to stand in front of Gary.

"She said that?"

"Yeah, at first I didn't believe her…but now…"

"Hey, if you hadn't been back to Pallet in a long time, you'd be a little disoriented too," Gary argued, feeling a little miffed at being left so defenseless. He didn't like to be at a disadvantage to anyone and now that he was depending on Ash's help his pride was a little wounded.

Ash rolled his eyes and shook his head, but his face still had a touch of mirth in the upturn of his mouth. "Yeah, yeah. Whatever you say, Gary." He reached out and grabbed Gary's arm, but Gary seemed to flinch away and if Ash didn't have a good grip on him, he was sure Gary would have shook him off.

"Would you stop being so stubborn and just come on already?" Ash asked him sharply, his face quickly turning into a scowl as he dug his fingers into Gary's arm and jerked him partially back the way they had come. "Let's go home, alright? There's no point in staying out here in the cold like a bunch of idiots. Look at Umbreon? I bet its freezing."

Gary quickly flashed a look at Umbreon and saw that the Pokémon was indeed shaking. He instantly felt bad, knowing that the fact that they were lost was his fault and that he had rushed off without thinking, getting them into this mess. He immediately reached down, picking up the Pokémon and unzipped his jacket, wrapping Umbreon inside for warmth. He flinched at the cold air that came inside his jacket, and quickly zipped it up as fast as possible.

Umbreon happily snuggled deep into his shirt, it's body pressed awkwardly to Gary's stomach as it tried to absorb its trainer's body heat.

"Now come on," Ash said his voice gentler this time. He held onto Gary's arm again but this time not as roughly. "Let's get home, okay? Then tomorrow we can come back and help Daisy."

Gary didn't know what to say, definitely not used to Ash taking the lead in the decision making. But he was tired and cold and he didn't know the way back so he let Ash lead them home, the tugging on his arm an odd comfort as they made their way back to the Research Facility.

Professor Oak and Tracy were waiting for them when they came back, holding the front door open. The fully lighted entrance of the Oak's home looked like some sort of beacon, glimmering brightly as the two boys walked closer.

"Come on in, boys," His grandfather called out to them, further emphasizing his words with the motions of his arm. "Let's get you warmed up." Tracy stood beside Professor Oak, leaning against the opposite side of the doorway.

The hike back had returned some warmth to their bodies, but it still didn't help that both boy's clothes were wet and needed to be changed out of soon.

Anxious to be warm, Gary rushed up the drive in a hurry to get inside but he stopped when he noticed that Ash wasn't following. He looked behind him and saw Ash had stopped just a few feet away, his body turned toward the direction of his own house.

"Ash, aren't you coming inside?"

Ash shook his head. "No, I'll be staying at my Mom's tonight but that doesn't mean I'm not going with you to Daisy's tomorrow." His voice got a little daring. "Regardless of what you think, I can still help out so you can guarantee that I'll be there."

He took a few steps away, stopped. "And Gary?"

"Yeah?"

Ash looked at Gary briefly before he said "I'm glad you didn't leave."

* * *

The next day they both started out for Daisy's store, early in the morning and with the sun having yet to appear. The snow had piled high in the night and had made the trek into town so impossible that they had to use Ash's Donphan to plow through the snow. The giant elephant-like Pokémon used its thick, black banded hide to extend its trunk and shovel the heavy frozen snow out of the way. Gary was impressed by the way Donphan made it look so easy, using its raw strength to guide them to town. Rarely did Gary have to summon Arcanine to help thaw out the snow.

Daisy greeted them at the door, looking a little tired at the early hour, but at the sight of them she brightened considerably. "Gary! Ash! Come in, come in!"

The two boys didn't get a chance to say anything as they were pulled inside by their scarves, shoved into some cozy chairs, and given hot tea. "Your faces are blue!" Daisy scolded, running around the entrance of her store and looking for something else to help them warm up. Clefairy and Chansey were joining the fray, but they didn't look as distressed. Gary could have sworn the two pink Pokémon found the running around while following their trainer more fun then anything. They probably thought it was a game.

Eventually Daisy found some spare blankets in the back and brought them to the boys, wrapping them up as they waited for the shipment truck to come. It didn't take long as the truck had a snow plow to help it get through the snow. After helping the driver unload boxes and bring them into the storage room, Daisy and the driver went over the inventory together while Gary started sorting the boxes around.

Ash was the only one who was left with nothing to do. Pikachu and Umbreon had both gone with Clefairy and Chancey to snooze by the heater in the entrance way and he was left all by himself-standing near Daisy and the driver as he twiddled his thumbs, bored.

As if sensing Ash's anxiousness, Daisy turned around and smiled at him. "Ash, would you mind finding Gary and seeing if he's gotten everything okay? I would check but I'm still taking inventory," she said, motioning with her head toward the clipboard she had in her hands.

Eager to please and willing to help, Ash quickly left to do as Daisy had asked. But when he opened the door to the storage room he was met with a sight he hadn't been expecting.

Gary was standing in the middle of the storage room, his shirt discarded on a nearby shelf as he hoisted a box on his shoulder and carried it to one end of the room before going back to do the same with the others.

Each time it was the same, Gary's muscled arms and lean torso flexing as he hoisted up the boxes. His mouth lightly panting from the workout and Ash could only marvel at just how much his friend had changed over the years. He had matured, gotten taller and more muscular, older.

Ash could admit that Gary was handsome. He had grown up hearing it around town and even from his own mother when she'd tell him about how "handsome Gary looked on TV today." All the girls in town had liked him and admired him in school so the knowledge about Gary being good looking wasn't something new or striking. But _knowing_ and actually _becoming_ _aware_ of it were too different things.

Especially when taking in these changes made his mouth go dry at the glimmer of sweat along Gary's shoulders and how his eyes watched each drop of sweat slide down his back.

He couldn't tear his eyes away, not until he heard someone clearing their throat-snapping his attention as he finally came back to himself. Startled, he raised his gaze up and connected with Gary's broad smirk, "Like what you see, Ashy-boy?"

Flushed and embarrassed, Ash flailed as he momentarily scrambled for words, "NO! Of course not! Daisy said to come find you and I just got distracted!"

Gary cocked his hip, and turned the box around in his arms so it rested at his side. "Okay, so you found me. As you can see I've got everything under control."

Ash puffed out his cheeks, "Look I was just checking on you like Daisy asked. No need to get snarky."

"Good. Go back to Daisy and be her little gofer." He took one of his hands away from the box and made a little shooing motion. "Just like I thought, you're totally useless."

Ash's head snapped in his direction. "What was that?"

"You heard me. I've been doing all the grunt work this whole time. Wasn't it you who was all, 'Daisy, I wanna help too'?" He scoffed. "Just like I thought, you're all talk and no action."

"I don't sound like that!"

"Yes, you do!"

"No, I don't!"

And so began an argument that ended up in a competition between the two. The remaining boxes were fought over and sorted between them in a big show of machismo and when Daisy came to see how the boys were doing, she walked into the storage room and saw that all the boxes has been sorted and put up. What she didn't expect was the sight of two exhausted young men who looked about ready to collapse on the floor.

"Looks like I won, Ashy-boy," Gary smirked as he rested against one of the boxes, leaning most of his weight on it.

"Did not!" Ash interjected as he stood on tired legs. "You got an unfair head start. I want a rematch!"

"Look at you. You can barely stand straight." Gary pointed out, but he wasn't in such good shape himself. "Just admit that I'm the best already, Ash. You know it's true."

This seemed to get a rise out of Ash, "Not on your life!"

"Honestly…" Daisy said as she shook her head, watching the two argue noisily. The two boys were too busy to notice that she had walked in. Both Umbreon and Pikachu stood by the door, having followed the sound of the commotion and peered in curiously.

* * *

After their hard work, Daisy sent them off with hot chocolate and a kiss for their efforts. The balmy thermos in their hands helped offset the cold as the liquid poured down their throats and warmed their chests.

"Daisy's so nice~" Ash remarked, taking a swig from his thermos and trotting happily. Pikachu gave him a mildly-annoyed look as it latched on tightly to Ash's clothes before eagerly looking at the thermos in hopes that its trainer would share.

"Remember, she has a fiancé now so you better watch it," Gary admonished smugly, remembering how in the past Ash used to have a crush on his sister.

Just like he expected, Ash frowned unhappily as he kicked at the snow. "I know that." He said it like was obvious, but the sour expression was still there.

"Well, then act like you know it. You really haven't changed at all." Gary joked, clapping him on the back. Leaving Ash to mildly wonder how they could be fighting one moment and then just go back to being friends the next so easily. Time and distance and misunderstandings hadn't changed that about them. Or rather, maybe it was just a habit between them. Much easier to resign to it, so they wouldn't have to worry about the mess over-thinking or wondering might cause.

Gary didn't seem to notice the pensive expression on Ash's face as he continued to lead them back to the research facility, Umbreon hot on his heels. "Now come on. Gramps has set up a meeting with the volunteers today. We need to be sure to make it back on time."

* * *

After walking back to the research facility, Gary and Ash had hung up their coats in the hallway and made their way into the living room where the meeting was to take place. Their faces were still red from the cold but the warmth from the heater would warm them up in time. Pikachu and Umbreon had gone to Gary's upstairs room so that they could rest from the long morning at Daisy's, leaving Gary and Ash to attend the meeting together.

As they walked down the hall, Gary could hear the light chatter coming from the living room. When Gary opened the door and walked inside with Ash close behind, he was met with a surprise.

He had remembered his grandfather telling him about the volunteers, but he hadn't expected this few. Inside the living room were only a handful of people-three men and two women that Gary vaguely recognized seeing around town.

It gave him a momentary feeling of hopelessness that so few would be involved with the project. How did his grandfather expect any progress with so little man power? It was discerning.

He had come to the meeting expecting everything to be discussed and then planned into action. But he quickly realized how foolish that thinking was. Not everything would be taken care of with a quick fix. Especially when it concerned a town's failing economy, but he hadn't really considered that. He was too busy playing the idea of being a hero in his head and, while he had good intentions, intentions meant nothing if it didn't bring about results.

Gary didn't know if the numbers reflected the amount of actual people involved or if his grandfather was just being cautions but one thing was for sure…

He was disappointed.

"Gary?" Ash's voice at his side distracted him and when he turned his head, concerned brown eyes were looking up at him. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah, I'm fine."

Ash didn't seem to believe him though, giving him a long look before letting the issue drop and said instead, "Let's grab a seat. Professor Oak will speak to us shortly."

Just as he was about to turn away he stopped, frowned, and turned back around to meet his eyes with Gary's again. He seemed to hesitate for a second before he put a hand on Gary's shoulder and said earnestly, "Everything will be all right."

Gary gaped openly at Ash but, before he could get his mind to work on a response, Ash had used his momentary confusion and the hand on his shoulder to steer him to an empty couch in the living room and push him down to sit. It seemed that even though they were older and Ash still shorter it didn't seem to stop Ash from doing something when he had his mind set. Whenever Ash decided on something, he always went through with it.

The guy was as stubborn as they came and if he felt strongly about something, he always acted on it without considering repercussions.

It was that impulsiveness that Gary always envied. The ability to act on one's feelings wasn't something that came easily to him. Gary always overanalyzed things to the point of confusion and would then lash out in anger.

He couldn't even express his concern for someone else as sincerely as Ash had just done for him, calmly steering him to the couch and just sitting next to him as if nothing had happened.

He didn't have long to consider the difference in their personalities for long. Professor Oak walked into the living room, Tracy in tow.

Professor Oak looked tired, his face paler than his bright white lab coat. The dark circles under his eyes made him appear even older, the tired lines enhancing the fatigue that he must have been under. Under normal circumstances, Gary would have thought this appearance normal for the eccentric old man, but because of the current situation he could see the stress the town's situation was causing his grandfather beginning to take its toll.

"Good evening, everyone," Professor Oak stood in front of the living room, standing taller than Gary thought possible for how tired he looked. Tracy had gone to the side, leaning against one of the book shelves and crossing his arms, yet still looked alert and attentive from his place in the background even as the professor continued.

"Friends, thank you for coming. I'm sure we're all aware of the situation surrounding Pallet Town at the moment. Today's meeting will address the start of the plans, he said as he shifted his arms.

"Unfortunately, the snow has delayed any immediate action at present. But in a way, it can be considered a hidden blessing. While we wait for the snow to melt, we can begin testing and production of equipment. Fortunately, we have resources at the facility to begin that. After testing and when weather conditions permit, we can then begin setting up the electrical equipment around the town."

He paused and looked at each person in the room before continuing, "As I've stressed before with all of you, everything we discuss and do is to remain confidential. I don't have any reason to think that there may be issues with trust among us, but for now please do not disclose what is discussed here with anyone."

The room was silent, each person deeply considering Professor Oak's words. His grandfather had said it so seriously that even Gary was unnerved.

After a long patch of silence, Professor Oak's serious façade slowly fell into a gentle smile. "That's all for now. Thank you again for coming everyone. Please be safe on your way home and I hope to see you all at the Christmas party on Friday."

* * *

"So the party..."

"What about it?"

"Well, are you going to be there?"

"Ash, it's being held at my family's home. Why wouldn't I be there?" Gary asked with a little edge in his voice as he looked up from the computer screen, one hand on the mouse and the other holding a clipboard.

"It was just a question; no need to get defensive," Ash noted, his mouth moving so that his chin wrinkled and his lips pushed out into an unhappy pout.

It was the day after the meeting, and Pallet Town's streets were still riddled with snow and ice. Ash and Gary had spent the entire day inside the lab,dressed in white coats and wearing protective goggles.

Testing out the force of the Pokémon's electrical power on the metal rods was becoming tiresome. The routine aspect of it was what caused it to bore the two young men. One could only ask a Pokémon to shock something so many times before it would get too irritated or worn out. But the Flaaffy they had delivering the shocks to the rods didn't seem perturbed, instead it was still rather energetic as it wiggled it's black-and-pink striped ears and waited patiently for the next round of tests.

The small sheep-like Pokémon didn't look like it would be useful for the procedure at first glance, but Flaaffy's body was like an electrical smorgasbord. Its entire body was covered in pink rubbery skin so that the white wool around its head and collar wouldn't backfire on it during electrical attacks. By itself, a Flaaffy wasn't a Pokémon that one would normally be cautious of. They were very gentle-mannered and were rather passive to people and other Pokémon.

At first, Gary wasn't sure about testing the rods with Flaaffy's help, but Professor Oak had insisted that the Pokémon would prove useful. So far his grandfather had been right, while not as powerful as Ash's Pikachu or Gary's Raichu; Flaaffy had delivered some powerful electric currents leaving Gary to wonder how powerful Flaaffy would become once it evolved.

While it was interesting to see the extent of Flaaffy's abilities, the two boys were tired from being in the lab for so long and, while Gary knew that measuring the threshold extent of the rods was important for the project and for the construction, he swore that if he had to take one more reading of the voltmeter, he was sure he'd end up snapping his clipboard in half.

"Sorry," Gary finally said, putting his clipboard down on the desk-safe and away from his twitching hands. Instead he ran his hands through his hair and sighed tiredly. It was just so frustrating to deal with tests when there was so much more he could be doing. If only the snow hadn't limited their options so early in the project. "I shouldn't have said it like that. I've had a lot on my mind lately and it's making me more irritable than usual."

Ash turned to him, amusement shinning brightly in his dark eyes as he cocked his head to the side. "Nah, I'm pretty sure you've always been this grumpy."

Because he was looking smug, Gary lifted his eyebrows. "Oh really?"

Ash's voice sounded self-assured as he answered, "Yup. Once a grump always a grump."

Gary jerked a shoulder. "If I'm such a grump then why have you been friends with me for all these years? Shouldn't you be sick of me by now?"

Ash laughed loudly and shook his head, the sound of it echoing around the lab. "You'd think so, huh? But it doesn't bother me that much anymore. Guess I've just gotten used to you. You know, immunity and all that." He waved a hand dismissively, like it was the most easily understood thing in the world, but the look on Gary's face showed that he didn't easily accept that analogy.

"Are you comparing my personality to a cold or allergy? It isn't the sort of thing that you can build up a resistance to, you know."

Ash considered this, "Maybe, I guess it's a good thing our personalities are different. It keeps you from being even grumpier then necessary." He smiled. "I help balance you out."

Gary frowned, "So you _say_."

Ash's smile turned into a grin, "So I _know_."

Gary opened his mouth to say something back, but caught himself and shut it as he turned away from Ash to face his reports and hunched his shoulders defensively, like a sulking kid. "Whatever."

"Oh, come on Gary. Don't be such a spoilsport. At least be excited about Christmas. Even _you_ have to like Christmas." Gary was facing him now and, though he wasn't meeting Ash's eyes, Ash could see from the angle of Gary's head that he had his attention.

"It has been a long time since I've been to one of Gramps' parties." Gary admitted, his voice suddenly thoughtful, as he leaned back into his chair and put his arms behind his head-stretching.

"All the more reason to be an active participant this year then right?" Ash prompted again and Gary looked at him confused, wondering why it was so important that he be present.

"It's already obvious that I'll be there."

"But you'll be moping."

"No I won't," Gary said defiantly.

But Ash didn't seem to agree with his certainty, "Yes, you will."

Seeing the pattern coming before it started, Gary let out a breath of exasperation as he stopped himself from continuing the argument. He ran his hands over his face and exclaimed, "Fine! I'll go and I won't mope. Now will you stop bugging me about it?"

"Yes!" Ash smiled winningly, his response coming too quickly for Gary's liking. The guy had no shame. But no matter how annoying the other was, Gary could only shake his head as he turned back to his reports and picked up a pen.

"Now come on, there are still a few more tests we have to do before we're done for the day."

Ash only nodded as he pushed a red button on the desk that would give the signal for Flaaffy to start shocking the rods again. A loud buzzing was heard and it momentarily startled Flaaffy before the pink electric Pokémon braced itself, building up electricity in its thick grey, furry coat- the fleece quality changing to generate a strong current of static electricity. When its coat had fully charged with electricity the blue sphere at the end of Flaaffy's tail lit up and its blue eyes narrowed as it hunched down on its hind legs and surged up. Its tail stretched as it used its forelimbs to manipulate the released static attack onto the rods-zapping them on impact. "FLAAFFY!"

The sheep-like Pokémon held the force of the attack for as long as possible before it stopped and sunk down on its hind legs, spent. It breathed heavily as it watched Gary look at the hand-held voltmeter and record the numbers that it had measured from the force of Flaaffy's attack. He looked pleased when he put the voltmeter and his pen down.

Ash looked equally as pleased as he glanced at the numbers and turned back to Flaaffy, "Nice one, Flaaffy."

The sheep Pokémon preened tiredly at the praise, "Fleee!"

"I think that's all we can expect from Flaaffy today," Gary commented as he flipped through the papers of his clipboard, noting that it would be unwise to proceed when the Pokémon was so worn out. "Let's go ask Gramps what he wants us to do next."

With that, both of them cleared the desk of the papers and shut down their lab station, making sure to turn off the computer and the voltmeter. If their findings were good enough for Professor Oak, maybe he'd let them take a break for a while. Gary doubted it of course; if Gramps had his way, they'd be up all night still running tests.

**To be continued.**

* * *

**Author's Note: **I like Flaaffy. :) Flaaffy is my favorite Pokémon so I thought I'd use it in here lol. XD Pikachu needs a vacation from having to shock so many things. lol. Well guys, here's the next chapter. 12 pages of love that took forever to finish because things kept interrupting the process. lol. ;; Hopefully the next update won't take as long. Lol

Thanks to everyone who reviewed last chapter! And especially shadowdolls who wrote such an incredibly encouraging review. :) Please review, guys. There's like 56 of you who added this story to their alerts and I haven't heard from any of you. ;; I won't know if you liked it or not if you don't tell me.

Next time: Christmas parties and some interesting developments. :)


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